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History & Facts

On May 11, 1935, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed Executive Order #7037 that created the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) for the purpose of securing financing to build transmission lines and distribution lines to provide electric power to the rural areas. Before this, investor-owned utilities did not consider it profitable to bring electricity to rural areas because there were few potential customers and they used too little electricity to make it worthwhile.

Locally, efforts began with a county-wide meeting held in 1935 at the Hanover Township Centralized School for the purpose of "establishing an organization to be formed among ourselves on a non-profit basis for acquiring and distributing electrical energy." That is the essence of cooperatives today.

On April 4, 1936, local farmers met to adopt the newly formed Cooperative's Code of Regulations and elected Marcus Beard from Morgan Township to lead the way. The original name of the Cooperative was Butler County Farm Bureau Electric Cooperative. The name was subsequently changed to Butler Rural Electric Cooperative.

The next step was to sign up farmers who wanted to be members of this new electrical cooperative. By 1936, 660 members were signed up and anxiously awaiting service. At the March, 1936, organizational meeting, the Cooperative was given the name it has today, Butler Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Cooperative Facts

Incorporated: April 4, 1936

Total number of services: 11,601

Miles of line: 1,066

Number of substations: 16

Serving parts of Butler, Hamilton, Preble and Montgomery counties.

The Cooperative Difference

Electric cooperatives serve members and strive to achieve the highest member satisfaction possible. As a not-for-profit organization, the cooperative retires capital credits to its members each year. We have a local presence in the community and welcome our members to come to the office to pay their bill, ask a question or discuss an issue. Butler Rural Electric Cooperative is dedicated to informing and educating our members about energy efficiency. We are involved in your community, sponsoring events, awarding grants from the Butler Rural Community Connection program and visiting schools to teach children about electrical safety.

Did you know Electric Cooperatives ...

Are located in 80% of the nation’s counties

Are the largest electric utility network in the nation

Total more than 900 local systems in 47 states

Have 42 million member-owners

Distribute power over 2.5 million miles of line

Serve 75% of the U.S. land mass

Own $130 billion in generation, transmission, and distribution assets

More than 88% of all local electric co-ops offer electricity generated from renewable sources.

Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives is a national network of electric cooperatives across 46 states that provides resources and leverages partnerships to help member cooperatives and their employees better engage and serve their members. By working together, Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives stand as a source of power and information to their 32 million member-owners every day.